The present inventive subject matter relates to the art of heat or steam activated valves particularly in connection with cooking vessels, such as bags, containers, cartons or other like packaging for food or other consumable components. Such cooking bags or other like packaging suitable for practicing embodiments of the present inventive subject matter are commonly used in microwave ovens, conventional ovens and/or other like ovens. Accordingly, embodiments of the present inventive subject matter are selectively designed for such applications. However, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present inventive subject matter are also equally amenable to other types of applications.
In general, many home cooks and/or other cooks appreciate convenience in the kitchen and elsewhere. Accordingly, cooking bags and other packages that have the capacity to hold food or other components which can be placed directly in an oven or microwave that allow for the food or contents of the container or package to be cooked or otherwise heated directly in the bag or other packaging have been developed. Frequently, these bags or packages are designed and/or capable of going directly from the freezer or refrigerator to the oven such that the food therein is cooked from an initial frozen or refrigerated state, alleviating the user from thawing the food prior to cooking. The need for the user to transfer the food to multiple containers when cooking is thereby eliminated. Likewise, in a heating or warming application, where the food or components may already be prepared, a single package can serve as the vessel for the subsequent treating (i.e. re-warming) of the contents of the package. In an alternative to food applications, other consumable applications that may undergo simply a heating step include sterile towels or implements, and sanitary or other consumer convenience products.
Additionally, the use of cooking bags and/or other like packaging can reduce or eliminate clean-up insomuch as pots, pans and/or other cookware does not come into contact with the food. The use of pots, pans and/or other cookware may be eliminated altogether. In any event, as can be appreciated, cooking bags and/or packaging of this nature can be a considerable convenience to the cook or other user. However, the use of conventional cooking bags and/or other like packaging of this kind can present certain issues.
One such issue is how to handle steam and/or other like gases that can be generated within the bag or packaging during the cooking process. While some steam development can be desirable, at some particular point in the cooking process it is also commonly preferably to allow the steam to escape from the bag or packaging. Excessive steam build-up can produce too much pressure inside the bag or other packaging and lead to an uncontrolled rupturing of the otherwise sealed or closed bag or package. Furthermore, excess steam buildup inside the bag may cook the food in a shorter time, making it difficult for the user to estimate the amount of time to cook a food product or even overcook the food altogether.
Additionally, to achieve the desired cooking result for the food contained inside the bag or package, it may be desired at some point during the cooking process to have the food exposed to a dryer (less humidified) cooking environment. Accordingly, it can be advantageous to release the steam from the interior of the bag or packaging containing the food or components at some pre-determined point or threshold during the cooking or heating process.
One option to address the foregoing issue would be to have the cook manually open, unseal or otherwise vent the bag or package when it is deemed desirable in order to release steam and/or other like gases that can be generated within the package's interior. Of course, this mandates that the cook must monitor the cooking process to determine if and/or when to vent the bag or package. Moreover, to manually vent the bag or package, the user will typically have to remove the bag or package from the oven or otherwise interrupt the cooking process. Additionally, in a manual operation the cook or other user is exposed to the potential risk of being burned by the escaping hot steam.
The convenience of using the cooking or heating bag or other like package can be further enhanced by having a mechanism that vents steam or other like built-up gases from the bag or package automatically at a desirable time during the cooking or heating process. Thus, there is a current need in the marketplace for a new, improved, economical and simple to use automatic venting mechanism for food cooking bags and/or other like packaging that addresses the above referenced problems.
It is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally amenable to other like applications.